Country mouse goes to the big city

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fausto copy
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Re: Country mouse goes to the big city

Post by fausto copy »

Country mole here :wink:

We recently visited Liverpool for the first time in over 40 years.
I was pleasantly surprised by Royal Albert Dock and the Pierhead area but walking up towards Lime Street station I couldn't believe the amount of people out and about. Looked like a load of ants running around.
Sadly, even places like Chester are becoming far too busy for my liking and it's always a pleasure to get back home, where we may see someone once or twice a week.
tatanab
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Re: Country mouse goes to the big city

Post by tatanab »

Similar experience to Fausto, I live in a small town. A couple of years ago I went to the branch of Evans in Birmingham. The sheer numbers of people in the city centre was amazing and horrifying. I was very uncomfortable. Fortunately Evans is only about 200 yards from the station so I did not have far to scuttle back to the train. Mid morning, mid week, what are all these people doing?
Cyril Haearn
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Re: Country mouse goes to the big city

Post by Cyril Haearn »

Shopping, people from the leafy suburbs :wink:
Memory is a thing, I imagine Birmingham and London were always busy but the memory does not keep info for so long

Fausto, what about St Davids City, is that scary?
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reohn2
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Re: Country mouse goes to the big city

Post by reohn2 »

Mick F wrote:Country-mouse born and bred.
Yes, I'm of Lancastrian heritage and was educated in Wigan, but in those days it was a nice quiet place.
We lived in Standish and later in Wrightington, and still later, Newburgh ........... if you want to look them up.

You wouldn't get me living up up there again for all the tea in China.

I live 5 miles from Wigan,2miles from Leigh.we have some of the loveliest countryside within just a few miles along with some lovely coastline areas.
I can think of nicer places to live but I'm not complaining.

As for Benidorm for a holiday,you're welcome to it Mick :shock:

To answer the OP I suppose I'd consider myself as an inbetweeny,though I dislike cities with a passion.
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al_yrpal
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Re: Country mouse goes to the big city

Post by al_yrpal »

About 18 months ago we flew to Berlin for 2 nights, then rail journeys to Prague, Vienna and Budapest from where we flew home. Returning home to our village where we live 4 minutes walk from beautiful peaceful countryside and Chiltern woodland we agreed that we are not City people, aspects of the Cities were great but the constant hubbub and crowds was wearing. Our usual walks together were usually 5 to 8 miles.
Now really remote country walking together has become impossible as my Mrs gas become permanently disabled so we are seeking out short walks peppered with seating.
Born in towns we both love countryside best.

Al
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ambodach
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Re: Country mouse goes to the big city

Post by ambodach »

I went to Iona last year and climbed up the “mountain” on a nice sunny day. It was a bit like looking down at an ant hill with the crowds scuttling about. Went straight back down for the next ferry. The crowds in summer there are unbelievable. Glad I first went there over 40 years ago when life was normal and not tourist dominated.
hercule
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Re: Country mouse goes to the big city

Post by hercule »

gbnz wrote:
Tangled Metal wrote:
I'm happier skinning a rabbit and cooking it than buying a macdonalds :)


Reminds me of snapping the necks of a couple of pigeons (Nb. They'd got into the habit of roosting over my bikes and covering them with &%%^&). I'd casually mentioned it at work, as the heads came off without an issue.

Didn't find out for a couple of years that evyerone thought I'd been joking :? (Nb. Have to admit I didn't fancy eating them and got the gamekeeper to shoot another)


Before I became vegetarian I used to like pigeon - free range and guaranteed not to be factory farmed. Biting into a bit of lead shot always confirmed that! We did have a cat who cottoned on to my eating habits though and would bring them home in the expectation that I would pop them in the oven for him :roll:
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fausto copy
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Re: Country mouse goes to the big city

Post by fausto copy »

Cyril Haearn wrote:Shopping, people from the leafy suburbs :wink:
Memory is a thing, I imagine Birmingham and London were always busy but the memory does not keep info for so long

Fausto, what about St Davids City, is that scary?


St.Davids in the summer can be a bit intimidating, having to walk in the middle of the road due to all the crowds.
We went there on Christmas Eve and the place was like a ghost town.
Most shops and cafes closed, just a few people in the supermarket buying last minute provisions.
Still glad to get home to our village and we didn't see a soul until Boxing Day evening when we drove to a friend's house.
Bliss.

Foolishly cycled up to Whitesands on August Bank holiday a couple of years ago.
We were convinced the whole of the Midlands population were there. :(
gbnz
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Re: Country mouse goes to the big city

Post by gbnz »

hercule wrote:
gbnz wrote:
Tangled Metal wrote:
I'm happier skinning a rabbit and cooking it than buying a macdonalds :)


Reminds me of snapping the necks of a couple of pigeons (Nb. They'd got into the habit of roosting over my bikes and covering them with &%%^&). I'd casually mentioned it at work, as the heads came off without an issue.

Didn't find out for a couple of years that evyerone thought I'd been joking :? (Nb. Have to admit I didn't fancy eating them and got the gamekeeper to shoot another)


Before I became vegetarian I used to like pigeon - free range and guaranteed not to be factory farmed. Biting into a bit of lead shot always confirmed that! We did have a cat who cottoned on to my eating habits though and would bring them home in the expectation that I would pop them in the oven for him :roll:


Yes, wouldn't fancy leadshot for dinner, though non factory farmed animals are a must! Though I am moving into an ever more vegetarian lifestyle, despite being a firm meat eater (Nb. Though I suppose it's been purely lentils, beans and fish to date this year)

One positive thing I hadn't thought about when despatching the pigeons, is that my neighbours suddenly realised I was "normal". Prior to that, my country neighbours were very dubious about a grown man who cycled a bike daily and worked in an office :wink:
Tangled Metal
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Re: Country mouse goes to the big city

Post by Tangled Metal »

fausto copy wrote:St.Davids in the summer can be a bit intimidating, having to walk in the middle of the road due to all the crowds.
We went there on Christmas Eve and the place was like a ghost town.
Most shops and cafes closed, just a few people in the supermarket buying last minute provisions.
Still glad to get home to our village and we didn't see a soul until Boxing Day evening when we drove to a friend's house.
Bliss.

Used to look forward to autumn / winter in the lakes when summer crowds die down and you can park in the popular walking areas again. Now there isn't the same quiet period, just busy or even busier. You really have to get up places early or go to quiet places that the visitors don't generally know about. Curse of have the most beautiful part of the country on your doorstep I guess. :wink:
Canuk
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Re: Country mouse goes to the big city

Post by Canuk »

ambodach wrote:I went to Iona last year and climbed up the “mountain” on a nice sunny day. It was a bit like looking down at an ant hill with the crowds scuttling about. Went straight back down for the next ferry. The crowds in summer there are unbelievable. Glad I first went there over 40 years ago when life was normal and not tourist dominated.


Iona (or 10 NA as I heard an American call it!) is beautiful out of season. The lake district pales in comparison to its white beaches, gothic cathedral beauty. We had a few holidays there with the kids in September, great memories and very few tourists about, also excellent reliable weather. July/August is bonkers though, 20 buses a day coming off the ferries. But I do understand the season is very short and the locals have to make their living while the sun shines.

If you want to book a rental or a B&B now is the time to do it as most stuff is fully booked by Easter for the entire summer. John Smith, probably the best PM we never had is buried there, and was a frequent, well loved visitor.
Oldjohnw
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Re: Country mouse goes to the big city

Post by Oldjohnw »

I climbed Hellvelyn for the umpteenth time a couple of years ago, but this time on a bank holiday. It was busier than my local high street.

2018 year was the first time in over 25 years I was not in London at all.
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Cyril Haearn
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Re: Country mouse goes to the big city

Post by Cyril Haearn »

I bet there are quiet places in Cumbria too, even in summer, likewise in Cambria
No need to visit 'the highest slum in Wales', anyone been there recently?
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Oldjohnw
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Re: Country mouse goes to the big city

Post by Oldjohnw »

Most people simply went up and down the same way. I continued. I rarely leave the house on a bank holiday but this was just how it worked out that time.
John
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mjr
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Re: Country mouse goes to the big city

Post by mjr »

fausto copy wrote:We were convinced the whole of the Midlands population were there. :(

It's always us midlanders who get the blame for some reason. There aren't that many, relatively: a fifth of England's people, spread over a third of its area.
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